Letters To The Editor

November 13, 1999

Trim the fat

A trim figure makes the heart grow fonder. The American Cancer Society has found that it makes the heart last longer too.

A study of obesity and mortality among one million Americans - the largest ever - has shown that overweight people run a higher risk of premature death, particularly from heart disease or cancer. The study was sponsored by the American Cancer Society and published in today's New England Journal of Medicine.

Last year, the American Heart Association named obesity a "major risk factor" in heart disease, along with smoking, high cholesterol and lack of exercise.

A 27-year study of 19,000 Harvard University alumni found that men in the slimmest 20 percent had a 60 percent lower risk of dying of heart disease and a 40 percent lower risk of dying from all causes than those in the heaviest 20 percent.

The renowned "Framingham Heart Study" estimated a 1- to 3-percent increase in the risk of premature death for every pound over the ideal body weight. A USDA study found that overweight children were twice as likely to suffer from heart disease in later years.

In fact, obesity has become a U.S. public health threat.

More than half of all Americans are overweight and 22 percent are severely obese.

Beyond heart disease and cancer, obesity increases the risk of stroke, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Together, these diseases account for two-thirds of all U.S. deaths.

The leading causes of obesity are the consumption of fat-laden meat and dairy products and inadequate exercise, particularly during the formative years.

These early lifestyle flaws become deeply ingrained lifelong habits. The only effective long- term solution to this national epidemic is to replace meat, dairy and other fatty foods with wholesome grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits, particularly in the childhood years.

Thanks to the painstaking work of leading health research institutions, we now have the secret of a long, healthy life. All we need is the will.

Heather Moore

Norfolk

Book should stay

As a soon-to-be teacher, I felt more than compelled to respond to the article about the controversy (Daily Press Nov. 10) surrounding Robert Cormier's novel, "The Chocolate War."

More than anything, I was surprised that a mother thought, "right and wrong must be taught in the school division."

This, I assumed, was supposed to be taught and established in the home.

While the schools respond to right and wrong when necessary, teachers are there to teach students knowledge and to open them to new worlds and levels of learning.

Teachers already have enough to deal with in the way of Standards of Learning exams and SAT preparation. Now, they have to teach right and wrong, too?

I ask the mother who disapproved of the book this question: Did you and the other parents ask the teacher why she chose this novel?

For the teacher, it may have been an appropriate choice for what she was trying to relate to the students.

The critic puts great emphasis on the strong language, but says very little about the rich plot and the fact that an adolescent may identify with some of the problems and struggles that the main character faces.

Every piece of literature has value. No book or novel is mere trash. The educational nature of the book should be separated from the moral view.

The teacher was trying to teach, not preach.

In the words of May Hill Arbuthnot, "Books are no substitute for living, but they can add immeasurably to its richness."

Kelly McCoig

Newport News

Justice for Ricky

I read the Oct. 9 letter from Tonie Dorset from Hampton about "Two Lives. One Bullet. No Justice."

I'm sorry you feel the way you do Dorset, but Danny Caldwell got his justice when God permitted him to live, because it was only through the grace of God that he did live. He got justice.

Let's be real, Danny is the one who put himself in his condition, not Ricky Cullipher. Even Danny said, "I shot myself."

He said that himself, plus told paramedics on the way to the hospital that he "just started bleeding" and that nothing happened.

Why didn't he say Ricky shot me? And why wasn't that brought out at the trial?

The paramedics had no reason to lie. They were doing their job, trying to keep him alive on the way to the hospital. They were filling out their report for the call.

George Smith read the notation, but never bothered to make a copy or mention it in court.

It seems as though he neglected to do a lot of things that would have been in Ricky's defense.

Anyone who thinks that Ricky got a fair trial has not read all eight chapters of this series.

I have sent my letter to Gov. Gilmore, asking for clemency for Ricky.

Let's flood the governor's office with letters and petitions. There is power in numbers.

We must get Ricky out of that hard-core prison and return him safe at home with his family. His family has suffered enough and I fear for Ricky's safety.

I will sleep better at night knowing that Ricky is home and Danny is off the streets.

Jerry Lyerly

Seaford

Misfits of justice

What happened to Ricky Cullipher is a grave injustice. His release is only fair.

But allowing the misfits of justice who sent him there in order to keep their jobs is another crime.

It is our responsibility to see that these people are removed from office.

Write, call, or e-mail the governor's office to have all of the judges from Judge Ford on down removed. They all knew of George L. Smith's problems, yet they covered for him.

Petition for a recall election to have Linda Curtis removed from office. It's very plain that she is more concerned with getting a conviction than finding the truth.